Garment-button.



W. P. GERBER.

GARMENT BUTTON.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 8. 1915.

l 1 60,59 1 Patented Nov. 16, 1915.

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WALTER PERRY GERBER, OF DES MOINES, IOWA.

GARMENT-BUTTON.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. is, rare.

Application filed April 8, 1915. Serial No. 19,928.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that ll, annin P. GERBER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Des Moines, in the county of Polk and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Garment-Button, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon.

This invention relates to garment-buttons that are of lightweight and hollow, of the shankless type that is designed to be used on the garments of women and children, more especially on coats and covered with fabric, the invention having reference more particularly to a button having a plurality of parts connected together.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved button that shall be suitably composed of parts that may be manufactured and furnished by factories to those who may desire to supply the covering ma terial, as may be required by the garment manufacturers. I i

Another object is to provide a button of such construction as to be inexpensive, strong and durable and permit of being conveniently completed by those who may be required to supply buttons having cloth covers 7 corresponding to the cloth of the. garments on which the buttons are required.

With the above-mentioned and other objects in view, the invention consists in a built-up garment button having novel features of construction, more especially with respect to means for locking the parts of the button together, the invention consisting further in the parts, and combinations and ar rangements of parts, as hereinafter particularly described and further defined in the accompanying claims.

Referring to the drawings,Figure 1 is av side view of the improved button attached to a fragment of fabric, as when in position for use; Fig. 2 is a section of the improved button on the line A A on Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an inverted plan View of thebutton; Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view reproducing a portion of Fig. 2 on an enlargedscale; Fig. 5 is an internal plan View ofthe front part of the button; Fig. 6 is a section of the front part of the button; Fig. 7 is a plan view of the inner member of the back part of the button; Fig. 8 is an internal plan view of the outer member of the back part of the button; Fig. 9 is a Section on the line B B on Fig. 8 but on a slightly smaller scale; and, Fig. 10 is a perspective view of one of the elements for locking the front and "back parts of the button together;

Similar reference characters on the different figures of the drawings indicate corresponding elements or features of construction herein referred to.

In practically carrying out the objects of the invention the buttons are made in various sizes and shapes as may be fancied or required, and they are designed to be fastened or sewed to fabric 1 by means of thread 2. Each button comprises an outer back member or plate 3 composed of sheet .metal, preferably very thin sheet steel, so as to be of light weight, the member having an upturned flange i thereon. The middle portion of the plate or member has an eye 5 on its normal outer side, or the side opposite to that which has the flange, the eye preferably being formed integrally with the plate by pressing out a portion of the metal by means of a die so as to form a loop. erably has a transversely convex inner face 6. One of the principal parts of the button is provided with a single locking member and the other principal part with a socket, whereby the two principal parts are permanently locked together. Preferably the back part of the button is provided, on its middle portion with a socket which is suitably composed of two spring arms 7 and 8 that are on the normal inner side of the back plate, or that side which has the, flange, the arms extending each'toward the other and having shoulders 9 and 10 on'the inner portions thereof, the shoulders facing toward the back plate, guide fingers 11 and'12 being formed on the end portions of the arms beyond the shoulders, the fingers extending outwardly each from the other and having concave inner faces 13 and 14, respectively. The arms with the several portions thereof are designed to act as two cooperating clutch members. Preferably the arms are composed of integral portions I ofthe plate stamped out and leaving slots '15 and 16 in the back plate. Preferably the slots are practically closed by means of an inner back member 17 of disk-like form and preferably composed of light weight material, such as straw-board, boXboard, or paper pulp composition. The inner member is pressed into the flange 4 and has an aperture 18 in its middle portion to clear the socket arms and The eye pref permit the member to be plate 3.

The front part of the button is composed of thin metal and comprisesa main portion 19 which may be variously shaped for ornamental purposes, being dome-shaped and having an approximately cylindrical portion 20 to loosely receive the flange 4c of the back part. A lock bar 21 is fixedly secured on the inner side ofth'e middle of the main portion 19 and it has a .tapering head 22 on its end provided with a shoulder 23 at the back of the head. A fabric cover 24, is placed on the outer side pressed close to the of the front part and is turned inward on v the inner side of the cylindrical portion 20 so as to form a lining 25 therein.

The front parts may be supplied without the covering and the garment manufacturer may have the fronts covered with cloth harmoniz ing with or identically like the cloth of which the garments aremade that are to be provided with the buttons. After the front is covered the two parts are pressed together, the flanged of the back part being forced tightly into the lining25 and tending to draw the-cover tightly'over the front part. When the back part is brought to the front part the head 22 enters between the fingers 1 1 and 12 and forcesthem apart while passing, until the shoulder 23 passes by the fingers and becomes engaged by the shoulders 9 and 10 of the elastic clutch arms whereby the locking bar is permanently secured against withdrawal, Therefore the front andthe back parts'of the button are firmly locked together and prevented from separating when in use.

'The improved buttons areused for avariety of purposes, either to be inserted through button-holes for connecting por tions of garments together or for decorative purposes, and in suitable sizes are suitable for upholstering purposes.

Having thusgdescribed the invention,

what is claimed as new is 1'; A button comprising a front; and

i a back part formed of sheet metal and connectedtogether, one of thepa'rts having a socket formed of portions of the metal pressed inward from the plane thereof, the interior of the socket having a shoulder facing toward the plane of the part, alocking I bar fixed ontheother oneof the parts and having a head thereon engaging the shoulder of the socket, and an eye fixed on the outer I side of the back part.

approximately side of the frontpart and having a head thereon,-abackpart connected to the front part, aclutch connected to themiddle of the inner side of the back part and engaging the head of the locking bar, an eye fixed on the outer side-of the back part, and an inner back member on the inner side of the back part. v

3. A button comprising a back part having twoelastic arms adjacently arranged on the middle portion thereof, each arm having a shoulder on its inner side facing toward the back part and having also a guide finger extending outwardly from the shoulder, the

,inner face of the finger being, concave, and

a front part connected to the back part and having a locking bar on the inner side of its middle portion, the bar having a tapered head for engaging and spreading the fin: gers, the head having a shoulder engaged by the shoulders of the arms;

4. In a garment button, a back part com prisinga plate, an inner member on the plate having a central aperture, .and two elasticanns connected to the back plate and extending through the aperture, each arm having a clutch device thereon, in combination with a front part covering the inner memberand the arms, and a locking bar secured tothe front part and engaged by the clutch devices.

5. In a garment button, the combination with a front part, a back palt inserted partially into the front part, and an inner back member on the inner side of theback part, of an eye on the outer, side of the back part formed of a portion of the metal of the part pressed out, two arms on the inner side of the back part formed of portions of the metal pressed up and leaving openings in the back part that are covered by said inner back member, the arms extending through said back member and having each a clutch device thereon, and a locking bar fixed 'on the middle of the inner side of the front part and extending between said arms, the bar having a head thereon engaged by said clutch devices. V

In testimony whereof, I afix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

, WALTER PERRY GERBER.

Witnesses: I r

J. Ruvann, JOHN HYATT.

Gopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents eacin'by addressing the (immanent of Patents,

Washington, I). C. 

